Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell, right, pulls Iowa State linebacker Willie Harvey, left, aside after their 37-27 loss to Oklahoma in an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, in Ames, Iowa.(Photo11: Matthew Putney/AP)

Not what he or the rest of the Cyclones could have done differently to win. Not the way they began the first quarter flat, or the pain that came with losing a game so important.

But, rather, the significance of playing in a game that important.

To Kempt, that says everything you need to know about the legacy of Iowa State’s senior class, which will play in its senior night this Saturday against Kansas State.

"A couple years ago, us even getting past the 6-6 mark and getting to the bowl game was a big deal," Kempt said. "Now, we’re getting to the point where this is the second year in a row we’ve had a chance to get into November and play in those types of games — to get a chance to get into the Big 12 championship game. I think just that, alone, shows how far we’ve come along."

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You’re probably familiar with the ugly numbers by now: Four years ago, when much of Iowa State’s seniors were freshmen in Ames, the Cyclones went 3-9 in Paul Rhoads' final year. Then, in came this promising coach from Toledo named Matt Campbell. He kicked things off with another 3-9 season.

Then ... things changed last year. It felt like a pay-off for players and fans who'd long suffered through years at the Big 12's bottom rung. Allen Lazard, Joel Lanning and that team’s senior class led the Cyclones to its first winning season since 2009.

Campbell said this season provided perhaps a tougher test. Last year's seniors got the Cyclones on the map; this year's seniors were tasked with keeping them on the map.

"The moment right now in our program is powerful," Campbell said. "We talked a little bit about that yesterday in terms of our program — where we’re at, what we’re doing, what’s the next step. That’s the story that this group has the ability to tell."

Truthfully, Campbell said, this class isn’t loaded with stars. He’s previously called the group the "island of misfit toys." It's a group with a few longtime starters and a lot of glue guys. Many aren’t household names. Many won’t be remembered for huge plays on this Saturday or that.

They will, however, be remembered for leaving Iowa State in a better place than it’s been in a long time, Campbell said.

"That’s their story," the coach continued. "They didn't quit when things got really hard. Some of these guys had tough times, tough situations. They’ve had ups, they’ve had downs. And, yet, these guys persevered. They stayed the course. They just kept pounding away. And I think that’s their niche. That’s why we’ve kind of had the resiliency that this team has had and embodied really since January.

"I think the story that’s going to be told may be more powerful than a lot of senior classes that have come through in a long time."

Brian Peavy is one of the more familiar faces of this year's graduating class. He has been in Ames since 2014. His first three seasons: 2-10, 3-9 and 3-9.

"Oh man," Peavy said, smiling at a question about how different the program is now compared to when he first arrived. "With our legacy, I have to give credit to the Allen Lazard class that left last year. They kind of got that rock moving and showed us how to flip it into gear. So I think our legacy as a senior class is to show that it can be done — to turn things around here and create a program and culture that can sustain success.

"You look around at our senior class and don’t see any superstars that stick out. But it’s a lot of guys that play with what they got and understand that it’s going to take all that we have. Wherever we’re needed, that’s where we’ll play.

"I think that’s a big part of how I live my life. It’s easy for people to doubt you and say, 'I know that’s not possible.' But to be able to overcome that, I’m just grateful for my journey — to not win games and then to win games. It shows that the process works. It shows that if you stick with something, it’ll be fruitful at the end."

Matthew Bain covers college football and basketball recruiting for the Des Moines Register. He also helps out with Iowa and Iowa State football and basketball coverage for HawkCentral and Cyclone Insider. Contact him at mbain@dmreg.com and follow him on Twitter @MatthewBain_.